Memorial service for Princess Margarita of Baden

A memorial service for Princess Margarita of Baden, who died on 15 January 2013, was held at the Serbian Orthodox Church of St. Sava in London today, 24 January 2013.

In attendance were, cf. the Office of Crown Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia, among others:

• Prince Nicholas (Nikola) of Yugoslavia (son of Princess Margarita)
• Princess Maria (Marija) of Yugoslavia (daughter of Prince Nicholas)
• Princess Katerina of Yugoslavia
• Victoria de Silva (daughter of Princess Katerina) 
• Sir Desmond de Silvia (former husband of Princess Katerina)
• Margrave Maximilian (Max) of Baden (brother of the deceased)
• Margravine Valerie of Baden
• Princess Marie Louise of Baden (daughter of the Margrave)
• Hereditary Prince Bernhard of Baden (eldest son of the Margrave)
• Hereditary Princess Stephanie of Baden
• Prince Leopold of Baden (younger son of the Margrave)
• Prince Michael of Baden (younger son of the Margrave)
• Prince Ludwig of Baden (brother of the deceased)
• Princess Anna Maria (Marianne/"Mandi") of Baden (wife of the former)
• Prince Berthold of Baden (son of Prince Ludwig)
• Crown Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia (Serbia)
• Crown Princess Katherine of Yugoslavia
• Prince Philip of Yugoslavia
• Prince Philip of the United Kingdom (the Duke of Edinburgh) (uncle of the deceased)
• Queen Anne-Marie of the Hellenes
• Princess Sarvath of Jordan with her two daughters

The service was officiated by Bishop Dositej of Great Britain and Scandinavia and Bishop Andrej, Vicar Bishop of the Patriarch Irinej of Serbia.

Crown Prince Alexander delivered a speech during the service and said among others:

I first met Margarita when I was a young boy after her marriage to my uncle Prince Tomislav, the middle brother my father King Peter II. I would stay with my uncle and aunt at their farm in Sussex and we would were very close. I learnt a lot about Yugoslavia and our Royal House from my uncle while my aunt Margarita offered me practical advice about problems I was likely to encounter in life.They were very good to me and helped me grow up. Margarita was like a mother to me, having married a then Yugoslav Prince …

... Margarita became interested in all things Yugoslav, especially in the Serbs and the Serbian orthodox church. She was very approachable – she was a real Serbian people’s princess. My family and I and the Serbian people shall miss her greatly. May dear Margarita rest in peace! VJEČNAJA PAMYAT!

 The funeral service and internment - the date is unknown to me at present - will be held at Salem Palace (Schloss Salem) in Germany.

Updated on Thursday 24 January 2013 at 23:45 (spellings).